Method and apparatus for processing media file for augmented reality service

ABSTRACT

A method and an apparatus for processing a media file for an augmented reality service are provided. The method includes analyzing at least one media file including a marker track and a virtual object track to be used for providing the augmented reality service; generating image data needed for reproducing an image by extracting video data and/or audio data included in the media file; generating virtual object data for displaying a virtual object by extracting virtual object information included in the media file; and synthesizing the image data and the virtual object data based on the marker track to structure a final image and reproducing the final image on a screen.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to KoreanApplication Ser. No. 10-2012-0030099, which was filed in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office on Mar. 23, 2012, the entire content ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the processing of a mediafile, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for providingand processing a media file for an Augmented Reality (AR) service.

2. Description of the Related Art

Augmented Reality refers to a technology of showing a virtual object(i.e., an AR object) that overlaps with real world images a user cansee. The augmented reality is a concept of synthesizing real timeimage/voice information and the virtual object or related information toprovide an augmented information service, and is called a Mixed Reality(MR) in terms of expanding human senses and recognition. Particularly,since a mobile terminal and a smart phone having various sensors such asa camera or a Global Positioning System (GPS) built therein are widelydistributed and various consolidated services using high speed mobileInternet have been introduced, the use of an augmented reality serviceusing a mobile device is rapidly increasing.

An International Organization for Standardization (IOS) media fileformat (FF) defines a general structure for a time based multimedia filesuch as a video or an audio file and is used based on a format of otherfiles such as an MEPG (Moving Picture Experts Group)-4 (MP4) or 3GPP(3rd Generation Partnership Project) file format.

FIG. 1 illustrates a logical configuration of an ISO based media file inthe prior art, and as shown in FIG. 1, a media file 100 is configured ina file header area 102, a metadata area 104, and a media data area 106.

The file header area 102 includes basic information of content includedin the media file. For example, information such as a contentidentifier, a content manufacturer, and a manufacture time may beincluded in the file header. When the media file is divided into aplurality of tracks or streams, map configuration information of eachtrack may be further included.

The metadata area 104 includes individual information of a plurality ofmedia objects of the content included in the media file. Various piecesof profile information for decoding the media object and informationabout a location of the media object is included. Here, the media objectis the minimum unit of a content. In a case of a video, an image framedisplayed on a screen in every unit period may be the media object, andin a case of a voice, an audio frame reproduced in every unit period maybe the media object. A plurality of media objects may exist in eachtrack and information needed to reproduce the media objects is includedin the metadata area 104.

The media data area 106 is an area in which the media object is actuallystored.

A physical structure of the ISO based media file comprises boxes. Anindividual box may be configured in related data and lower rankingboxes, or exists as a container box comprised of only the lower rankingboxes. For example, a track schematically shown in FIG. 1 is physicallystored in a track box, and a track box is a container box comprised ofvarious lower ranking boxes which store track header information, mediainformation, media decoding information, etc.

A conventional ISO based media file does not define any meta informationneeded for providing the augmented reality service, and also, does notprovide a method of synthesizing a multimedia content included indifferent layers, i.e., an instruction method for reproducing an imageand the virtual object in overlapping relation. Therefore, theconventional ISO based media file is limited in utilizing the augmentedreality service.

In the conventional technology, an apparatus for reproducing the mediafile analyzes an image currently reproduced in real time, extracts anarea for displaying the virtual object, displays the virtual object on acorresponding area and then synthesizes the virtual object with an imagebeing reproduced to provide a final image to a user. Extracting an areain which the virtual object is to be displayed in the image is a majortechnology of the augmented reality and is divided into a marker basedtechnology and a non-marker based technology. In marker based augmentedreality, an image including a particular image of a marker such as ablack and white pattern or a barcode is recognized by the apparatus, arelative coordinate of an area in which the virtual object is to bedisplayed is determined, and the virtual object is displayed basedthereon, whereas, in non-marker based augmented reality, an objectwithin the image is directly identified and related information isobtained.

The former case is advantageous in that a location in which the virtualobject is to be located can be relatively accurately provided comparedto non-marker based technology; however, it is impossible to provide anatural image because the marker always needs to be included within theimage. In the latter case, the marker does not need to be insertedwithin the image, and thus, the image is more natural compared to amarker based image. Also, the augmented reality service may be providedwith respect to a media file that is written without considering aconventional augmented reality. However, since an object within theimage is accurately recognized in real time to extract a feature pointat which the virtual object is displayed, accuracy is relatively loweras compared to the marker based technology. In addition, in most of thenon-marker based feature point extraction methods currently suggested, asignificant computation amount needs to be processed in a receivingterminal, which eventually means that the quality of the augmentedreality service may vary depending on an applied feature pointextraction algorithm and a computation capacity of the receivingapparatus (or reproducing apparatus).

On the other hand, in a conventional augmented reality service, avirtual object displayed to a user and additional information aredetermined by an application program which provides a correspondingservice. For example, in a case of an augmented reality service whichprovides a logo of a related company intermittently for purpose ofpromoting a product, a logo displayed to the user is determined entirelyby the application program. Therefore, in the conventional augmentedreality technology, an advertisement image is displayed regardless ofthe content of an image actually reproduced, and thus the effectivenessof the advertisement may be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to address at least the problems anddisadvantages described above, and to provide at least the advantagesdescribed below. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention provide aPDSCH transmission method, which can increase the peak rate and systemthroughput of the terminal user.

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a methodand apparatus of providing an augmented reality service using a mediafile.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for providing a media file that provides an augmented realityservice.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for processing a media file that provides an augmented realityservice.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for reproducing a media file that provides an augmentedreality service.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for displaying meta information needed to provide an augmentedreality service within a media file, i.e., embedding a virtual objectand additional information for displaying the virtual object on ascreen, and displaying a correlation relationship between a plurality ofmedia for reproducing an image and the virtual object in overlappingrelation.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method ofprocessing a media file for an augmented reality service is provided.The method includes analyzing at least one media file including a markertrack and a virtual object track to be used for providing the augmentedreality service; generating image data needed for reproducing an imageby extracting video data and/or audio data included in the media file;generating virtual object data for displaying a virtual object byextracting virtual object information included in the media file; andsynthesizing the image data and the virtual object data based on themarker track to structure a final image and reproducing the final imageon a screen.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatusfor processing a media file for an augmented reality service isprovided. The apparatus includes: a media file analyzer for analyzing atleast one media file including a marker track and a virtual object trackto be used for providing the augmented reality service; an imagereproducing unit for generating image data needed for reproducing animage by extracting video data and/or audio data included in the mediafile; a virtual object reproducing unit for generating virtual objectdata for displaying a virtual object by extracting virtual objectinformation included in the media file; and an image synthesis unit forsynthesizing the image data and the virtual object data based on themarker track to structure a final image and reproducing the final imageon a screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a logical configuration of an ISO based media file inthe prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a media file reproducingapparatus which supports an extension part of an ISO media file formataccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating an extension part of an ISOmedia file format (FF) according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an ISO media file format (FF)according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a conventional step ofprocessing a marker based augmented reality;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an example of defining a markerinterval based on a movement speed and a movement location on a straightline of a virtual object;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic views illustrating main boxes within amarker track and a correlation relation between such boxes according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating another example of defining amarker interval based on a movement speed and a movement location on astraight line of a virtual object;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating main boxes within a virtualobject track and a correlation relation between such boxes according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a process of synthesizingand reproducing a virtual object and an image in a marker intervalaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating an example of applying a markertrack and a virtual object track according to an embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate contents of a main box of a marker track anda virtual object track according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the followingdescription, a detailed description of known functions andconfigurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make thesubject matter of the present invention unclear. Further, the termsfound in the following description are defined in consideration offunctions thereof in the present invention, and it should be noted thatsuch terms can vary depending on an operator's intent or custom.Therefore, the definitions thereof should be made based on the contentsreflecting the entire description of the present specification.

Hereinafter, an extension part of an ISO media file format for storingmeta information needed for providing an augmented reality servicewithin an ISO based media file and an apparatus responsible forreproducing a media file written in the ISO media file format will bedescribed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a media file reproducingapparatus which supports an extension part of an ISO media file formataccording to an embodiment of the present invention. A media filereproducing apparatus 200 is provided within a receiving apparatusconfigured to process a media file and provide the augmented realityservice.

Referring to FIG. 2, a media file analyzer 210 analyzes a media file 202provided as an input to extract various bits of information, includingmeta information needed for providing the augmented reality servicewhich is needed for reproducing a media file. An augmented realityprocessor 214 activates or deactivates the augmented reality servicebased on a user input 204. An image reproducing unit 212 extractsvideo/audio data included in the media file and processes thevideo/audio data to generate image data needed for reproducing an image.Similarly, a virtual object reproducing unit 216 extracts virtual objectinformation included in a media file and processes the virtual objectinformation to generate virtual object data for displaying a virtualobject (i.e., an AR object) on a screen (not shown). An image compositor218 receives image data to be displayed on the screen and virtual objectdata respectively from the image reproducing unit 212 and the virtualobject reproducing unit 216 and compounds the image data and the virtualobject data to configure and display a final image 220 on the screen.Particularly, the image compositor 218, in association with the mediafile analyzer 210, determines a correlation relationship for displayingthe image and the virtual object, i.e., whether to reproduce the imageand the virtual object in overlapping relation, whether to reproduce theimage only, or whether to reproduce the virtual object only.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a receiving apparatuscapable of generating and/or storing a media file of an ISO media fileformat and processing and reproducing a media file or a media fileproviding apparatus (e.g., a media file server) for providing the mediafile to an intermediate apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating an extension part of an ISOmedia file format (FF) according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, and as shown in FIG. 3, an ISO media file format 302 includesa video track 306 and an audio track 304 for a multimedia content whichexists on an existing ISO media file as well as a virtual object track310 and a marker track 308 for providing the augmented reality service.For example, the virtual object track 310 may be a virtual object whichcan be augmented on a real world object (i.e., an image) providedthrough the video track 306 and may include address information whichcan access a three dimensional (3D) object or the virtual object. Thetracks 304, 306, 308 and 310 may be configured in one or more filestreams. For example, the marker track 308 and the virtual object track310 may be configured in a file stream (or file streams) separate fromthe video/audio tracks 304 and 306.

The marker track 308 includes a relative coordinate of an area in whichthe virtual object is displayed on the screen and additional informationneeded to express the virtual object. Therefore, in the media filereproducing apparatus, without using a process for obtaining a markercoordinate, i.e., a process of recognizing a marker image, calculating arelative coordinate of a marker relative to a camera coordinate system,etc. in a conventional marker based augmented reality service, an areain which the virtual object is to be displayed may be identified byusing only information included in the marker track.

The virtual object track 310 is a track that stores the virtual objectto be displayed on the screen and serves as a container that stores anexpression equation of the virtual object in order to accept variousaugmented reality technologies. Particularly, a plurality of virtualobject tracks may exist within the media file. An individual virtualobject track stores the virtual object for providing different types ofadditional information, providing address information for accessing thevirtual object, or providing a separate virtual object track peraugmented reality service provider, thereby being able to provide anindependent augmented reality service to an application program.

Hereinafter, embodiments which represent a correlation relationshipbetween media for instructing screen synthesis for the augmented realityas well as defining meta information for the augmented reality will bedescribed. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the virtual objectused in the augmented reality is reproduced in overlapping relation withan image provided by the video track or a screen synthesis method ofreproducing the image or the virtual object only.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an ISO media file format (FF)according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 4, an ISO media file format 402, together with an audio track 404and a video track 406, instructs synthesis of another media track 408,including an additional video track, and an image.

1) Marker track

A primary role of the marker track is to provide a relative coordinateof an area in which the virtual object is displayed on the screen andadditional information, for example, light source information, needed toexpress the virtual object. In other words, an apparatus assumes that avirtual marker exists within the image and extracts all informationprovided by the marker from the media file to obtain the same effect asif the marker is included within an actual image.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a conventional step ofprocessing a marker based augmented reality. Referring to FIG. 5, theapparatus recognizes a marker image from an input image in a first stepS502, calculates a three dimensional location (i.e., a coordinate) ofthe marker image by using a camera coordinate in a second step 504,compares a template stored in the apparatus with the marker image in athird step 506, converts the marker image into a virtual object by usingthe calculated coordinate in a fourth step 508, and composes the imageand the virtual object to be displayed on the screen in a fifth step510.

Coordinate and direction information, which is one important piece ofinformation stored in the marker track, corresponds to a result ofexecuting the first through third steps 502, 504, 506 of FIG. 5. Theapparatus, to which an embodiment of the present invention for providingthe marker track applies, identifies an area in which the virtual objectis to be displayed by using only information included in the markertrack, without using steps 502, 504, 506 for obtaining the markercoordinate, i.e., the process of recognizing the marker image,calculating the relative coordinate of the marker relative to the cameracoordinate system, etc. in the conventional marker based augmentedreality service.

When the image is reproduced, the virtual object needs to movecontinuously together with the image relative to the time axis. To thisend, the apparatus refers to a marker interval on the time axis, whichis defined based on a characteristic (e.g., a movement speed, a lightsource, etc.) generated when the virtual object moves, locates thevirtual marker at a start point and an end point of each interval, andthen stores the virtual marker in a media file of corresponding virtualmarker information.

Expression of the virtual object in an intermediate point of the markerinterval is calculated by using marker information of the start pointand the end point. For example, when it is assumed that luminance (i.e.,brightness) of a light which illuminates the virtual object is 1,000 luxat the start point of the interval and 2,000 lux at the end point, ifthe virtual object is continuously moved from the start point to the endpoint on the time axis, the virtual object is displayed on the screenwhile the luminance of the light is gradually increased from 1,000 luxto 2,000 lux. Therefore, the marker interval may be explained as aninterval in which each characteristic (e.g., brightness) of the virtualobject is gradually increased or decreased.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an example of defining a markerinterval based on a movement speed and a movement location on a straightline of a virtual object.

Referring to FIG. 6, the virtual object 600 is displayed on the screenfrom 15 minutes and 10 seconds to 15 minutes and 22 seconds afterreproducing the image and moves from a left upper portion of the screento a right lower portion of the screen. Specifically, the virtual object600 moves from the left upper portion to the right lower portion of thescreen in a marker interval #1 602 (15:10:00˜15:15:00) at apredetermined speed and moves from the right lower portion to a leftlower portion of the screen in a marker interval #2 604(15:15:00˜15:20:00). In a marker interval #3 606 (15:20:00˜15:22:00), acirculation of the object is the same as the marker interval #2 (i.e.,from the right lower portion to the left lower portion of the screen);however, a moving speed is different from that in the marker interval#2. Therefore, the marker interval #3 606 is defined as a separateinterval from the marker interval #2 604.

Information about the virtual marker at the start point and the endpoint of each interval which is distinguished as above is stored in themedia file. Therefore, as a range of each interval becomes narrow,synthesis of the virtual object and the image becomes more natural.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic views illustrating main boxes within amarker track and a correlation relation between such boxes according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7A, a marker track 700 has a form of extending a trackbox defined in an existing ISO media file format. Therefore, a trackheader (tkhd) box 702, and a media (mdia) box 704 are included. The mdiabox 704 includes a media header (mdhd) box 706, a handler reference(hdlr) box 708, a media information (minf) box 710, and a datainformation (dinf) box 712.

The hdlr box 708 that stores a type of a current track is extended asshown in FIG. 7B in order to support the marker track and the virtualobject track. After the extension, handler_type that stores the type ofthe current track within the hdlr box 708 may be set as one of a videotrack ‘vide’, a sound track ‘soun’, a hint track ‘hint’, a timedmetadata track ‘meta’, an auxiliary video track ‘auxv’, a location trackloct', or a 3D object track ‘objt’.

When the handler_type of the hdlr box 708 is set as ‘loct’ or ‘objt’, amedia information header box within the minf box 710 is set as a nullmedia header (nmhd) box.

As already described above, in order to store the relative coordinate ofthe area in which the virtual object is displayed on the screen and theadditional information needed to express the virtual object, the markertrack 700 includes a maker table (mtbl) 714. The mtbl box 714 is acontainer box and is configured to contain a marker header (mkhd) box716 and zero or more marker group (mgrp) boxes 718. One of the importantroles of the mkhd box 716 is to store information about a referencevirtual marker which is an object for comparison with the virtual markerused in the marker interval.

The marker image may have various forms such as a rectangular shape or acircular shape, and therefore, a virtual marker information (vmki) box716 a within the mkhd box 716 stores information of the virtual markerwhich is a reference of virtual markers used in each marker interval.The apparatus compares marker information used in an individual markerinterval with the reference virtual marker information included in thevmki to extract extension or reduction information of the virtualmarker, and such information eventually enables extension or reductionof the virtual object displayed on the virtual marker.

When the virtual object used in certain two marker intervals uses thesame virtual object stored in the virtual object track, the two markerintervals are included in the same marker group. Referring to theexample of FIG. 8, the marker interval #1 802 and the marker interval #3806 are included in the same group, and similarly, the marker interval#2 804 and the marker interval #4 808 are also included in the samegroup. A shape of the virtual object when finally displayed on thescreen may vary according to movement and extension/reduction of thevirtual marker in three dimensions, and thus, the marker group is notdetermined according to the shape of the virtual object but the virtualobject stored in the virtual object track. In other words, when twomarker intervals are displayed on the screen by using the same virtualobject stored in the virtual object track, the two marker intervalsbelong to the same group. This is similar to identifying an imageincluded within a marker to locate a virtual object that needs to bedisplayed on a corresponding marker in the conventional marker basedaugmented reality.

Referring back to FIG. 7A, the marker interval is expressed by markerinterval information (mint) box 718 a within the mgrp box 718, and everymarker interval included in the same group is included in the mgrp box718. A related sample information (rsmp) box 718 b within the mint box718 a stores sample information used in a corresponding marker interval.

An example format of the marker table (mtbl) box 714 is shown below.

aligned(8) class MarkerTable extends Box(‘mtbl’) { }

An example format of the marker header (mkhd) box 716 is shown below.

aligned(8) class MarkerHeader extends Box(‘mkhd’) { unsigned int (32)related_track_ID; unsigned int (32) next_marker_ group_ID; unsigned int(32) marker_group_entry_count; VirtualMarkerInformation( ); }

Here, related_track_ID represents an ID of a video track to be displayedin overlapping relation with the virtual object, next_marker_group_ID isa value of the marker_group_ID to be used subsequently, of which aninitial value is set to 1, and the mgrp box 718 which uses the samemarker_group_ID does not exist. Marker_group_entry_count represents anumber of the mgrp box 718 included in the current track.

An example format of the virtual marker information (vmki) box 716 a isshown below. The marker image may exist in various shapes such as arectangular shape or a circular shape, and the vmki box 716 a shownbelow is an example in which the virtual marker configured in therectangular shape is displayed.

aligned(8) class VirtualMarkerInformation extends Box(‘vmki’) { unsignedint (32) x1, y1, z1; unsigned int (32) x2, y2, z2; unsigned int (32) x3,y3, z3 unsigned int (32) x4, y4, z4; }

Here, x1, y1, z1 represent x, y, z coordinates of a vertex on a leftupper end of the virtual marker, x2, y2, z2 represent x, y, zcoordinates of a vertex on a right upper end of the virtual marker, x3,y3, z3 represent x, y, z coordinates of a vertex on a left lower end ofthe virtual marker, and x4, y4, z4 represent x, y, z coordinates of avertex on a right lower end of the virtual marker.

An example of the marker group (mgrp) box 718 is shown below.

aligned(8) class MarkerGroup extends Box(‘mgrp’) { unsigned int (32)marker_group_ID; unsigned int (32) next_marker_interval_ID; unsigned int(32) marker_interval_entry_count; for (i = 1; i <marker_interval_entry_count; ++i) {  MarkerIntervalInformation( );  } }

Here, marker_group_ID represents an ID of a corresponding marker group,next_marker_interval_ID is a value of marker_interval_ID to be usedsubsequently, of which an initial value is set to 1, and the mint boxusing the same marker_interval_ID within a given mgrp box does notexist. Marker_interval_entry_count represents a number of the mint box718 a included in the mgrp box 718.

An example format of the marker interval information (mint) box 718 a isshown below.

aligned(8) class MarkerIntervalInformation extends Box(‘mint’) {unsigned int (32) marker_interval_ID; Region start_region; Regionend_region; RelatedSampleInformation( ); }

Here, marker_interval_ID represents an ID of a corresponding markerinterval, start_region represents detailed information of the startpoint of the marker interval, and end_region represents detailedinformation of the end point of the marker interval.

An example format of a region box is shown below. The region box storesthe relative coordinate of the area in which the virtual object isdisplayed on the screen and additional information (for example, lightsource information) needed to express the virtual object. The belowexample is an example in which only location information of the virtualobject is included.

aligned(8) class Region extends Box(‘rinf’) { VirtualMarkerInformation(); }

An example format of the related sample information (rsmp) box 718 b isshown below.

aligned(8) class RelatedSampleInformation extends Box(‘rsmp’) { unsignedint (32) first_sample; unsigned int (32) sample_count; }

Here, first_sample represents a first sample number of a correspondingmarker interval, and sample_count represents a number of entire samplesincluded in the corresponding marker interval.

2) Virtual Object Track

The virtual object track describes the virtual object used in the markerinterval. Particularly, in order to support various augmented realitycontent and a service scenario, a plurality of virtual object tracks mayexist within the media file, and each virtual object track providesmarker_group_ID defined in the marker track and mapping information withthe virtual object defined on the virtual object track. In addition, thevirtual object track stores a virtual marker which becomes a referencepoint and information about how the virtual object is displayed on thescreen in the corresponding virtual marker. In other words, movement,rotation, and extension/reduction information of the virtual objectwhich is displayed on the reference virtual marker, which is specifiedin the vmki box 716 a defined within the mkhd box 716 of the markertrack, is stored.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating main boxes within a virtualobject track and a correlation relation between such boxes according toan embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, a virtual object track 900 has a form of extendinga track box defined in an existing ISO media file format, similar to themarker track 700. Therefore, a track header (tkhd) box 902 and a media(mdia) box 904 are included. The mdia box 904 includes a media header(mdhd) box 906, a handler reference (hdlr) box 908, a media information(minf) box 910, and a data information (dinf) box 912. Extension ofexisting boxes needed to support the virtual object track is the same asthe above description of the marker track 700.

The virtual object track 900 includes an object table (otbl) box 914 forexpressing a virtual object used in each marker interval in addition toan existing box defined in the ISO media file described above. The otblbox 914 is a container box and is configured to contain an object tableheader (othd) box 914 a, a mapping table (mtbl) 914 b, and zero or moreobject description (odes) boxes 914 c. The mtbl box 914 b providesmapping information of the virtual object used in an individual mgrp boxof a marker track, and the odes box 914 c provides information forexpressing the virtual object. The odes box 914 c serves as thecontainer in order to support various augmenting technologies forexpressing the virtual object.

In the ISO based media file, a plurality of virtual object tracks mayexist, and an individual track may exist independently according to atype of provided information or per service provider.

Therefore, when providing the augmented reality, a service is providedby connecting only one virtual object track, and a virtual object whichexists on multiple virtual object tracks may not be combined and used.

An example format of the virtual object table (otbl) box 914 is shownbelow.

aligned(8) class VirtualObjectTable extends Box(‘otbl’) { }

An example format of the object table header (othd) box 914 a is shownbelow.

aligned(8) class ObjectTableHeader extends Box(‘othd’) { unsigned int(32) next_object_ID; unsigned int (32) object_entry_count; unsigned int(32) service_provider_ID; string description; }

Here, next_object_ID is a value of Object_ID subsequently used, of whichan initial value is set as 1, and a type of the odes box 914 c needs tobe different in order to use the same Object_ID. Object_entry_countindicates a number of the odes boxes included in the current track,service_provider_ID indicates an ID of the service provider whichprovides the virtual object track, and description indicates additionaldescription of the current track.

An example format of the mapping table (mtbl) box 914 b is shown below.

aligned(8) class MappingTable extends Box(‘mtbl’) { unsigned int (32)mapping_entry_count; for (i = 1; i < mapping_entry_count; ++i) {unsigned int (32) marker_group_ID; unsigned int (32) object_ID;  } }

Here, mapping_entry_count indicates a number of mapping bits ofinformation, marker_group_ID indicates marker_group_ID defined in themgrp box 718 of the marker track 700, and object_ID indicates an ID ofthe virtual object that needs to be used in the identified markerinterval. Object_ID is defined in the odes box 914 c.

An example format of the object description (odes) box 914 c is shownbelow.

aligned(8) class ObjectDescription extends Box(‘odes’) { unsigned int(32) object_ID; unsigned int (32) type; string object_desc templateint(32)[9] transformation_matrix; template int(32)[9] rotation_matrix;template int(32)[9] scale_matrix; }

Here, object_ID indicates an ID of a corresponding virtual object, andtype indicates a technology (e.g., VRML (Virtual Reality ModelingLanguage), 3DXML (3D Extensible Markup Language), etc.) used forexpressing the virtual object. A virtual object which is described indifferent types using the same object_ID may exist, and in this case themedia file reproducing apparatus determines which virtual objectexpressed in a certain technology is to be used. Object_desc describesthe virtual object expressed in a technology indicated by the type,transformation_matrix represents a conversion matrix used whencalculating movement of the virtual object which is used when expressingthe virtual object on the reference virtual marker, rotation_matrixrepresents a matrix which is used when rotating the virtual object usedwhen expressing the virtual object on the reference virtual marker, andscale_matrix represents a matrix used when calculating anexpansion/reduction of the virtual object used when expressing thevirtual object on the reference virtual marker.

Here, information expressed by the odes box 914 c is as below. When thereference virtual marker defined on the marker track 700 is recognized,it is determined how to display the virtual object relative to thereference virtual marker by using three matrix values (i.e.,transformation_matrix, rotation_matrix, scale_matrix) which storesinformation of three dimensional movement and magnification, wherein thevirtual object is defined on an object_desc of the odes box 914 c.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart illustrating a process of synthesizingand reproducing a virtual object and an image in a marker intervalaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 10, the apparatus extracts and arranges at least onemarker interval based on at least one sample in step 1002, calculates arelative location, direction, and magnification information of thevirtual object to be displayed on the screen, and additional informationfor displaying a corresponding object by using the start point, the endpoint, and the reference virtual marker of each marker interval in step1004, extracts the virtual object to be displayed on the screen by usingthe marker_group_ID of the marker interval and the mapping informationwithin the virtual object track in step 1006, and calculates a finallocation and shape of the virtual object displayed on the screen byusing the calculated location, direction, and magnification informationof the virtual object and a location, direction, and magnificationinformation of the reference virtual marker defined within the odes box914 c in which an object is defined in step 1008. In step 1010, theapparatus synthesizes the virtual object on an associated image to bereproduced on the screen.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating an example of applying a markertrack and a virtual object track according to an embodiment of thepresent invention; and FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate contents of a main boxof a marker track and a virtual object track according to an embodimentof the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, each marker interval 1102, 1104, 1106 is set basedon movement of the virtual object on a straight line and a movementspeed thereof. Particularly, a marker interval #1 1102 and a markerinterval #3 1106 display the same virtual object (a smile icon in theexample shown in FIG. 11) on the screen, and therefore, the two markerintervals 1102, 1106 belong to the same marker group.

The main boxes of the marker track and the virtual object track of FIG.11, i.e., an mtbl 1202 and an otbl box 1302 have contents shown as FIGS.12 and 13, respectively. Referring to FIG. 13, two odes boxes 1304 a,1304 b of which object_ID is 1 exist, and each box 1304 a, 1304 bexpresses the same virtual object using different technologies. In anembodiment of the present invention, the media file reproducingapparatus determines which virtual object expressed in a certaintechnology is to be used.

It should be noted that providing and processing the media fileaccording to embodiments of the present invention may be implemented byhardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The mediafile and/or software, for example, regardless of whether a deletefunction or re-write function is provided, may be stored in a volatileor non-volatile storage device including a storage device such as aRead-Only Memory (ROM) or a memory such as a Random Access Memory (RAM),a memory chip, a device, or an integrated circuit, or a storage mediumwhich enables an optical or magnetic recording as well as being readableby a machine (e.g., a computer) such as a compact disk (CD), a digitalversatile disk (DVD), a magnetic disk, or a magnetic tape.

Also, providing and processing of the media file may be implemented by acomputer or a portable apparatus including a controller and a memory,and the memory may be an example of a machine readable storage mediumsuitable for storing a program or programs including instructions thatimplement embodiments of the present invention.

Therefore, the present invention includes a machine-readable storagemedium which stores a program or programs including codes forimplementing a method described by the appended claims. Also, such aprogram may be electrically transmitted through any medium similar to acommunication signal which is propagated by wire or wirelessly, and thepresent invention includes equivalents thereof.

Also, a media file reproducing apparatus of the present invention mayreceive and store the media file and/or the program from a media fileproviding apparatus which is connected via a wire or wirelessly thereto.The program providing apparatus may include at least one of a memory forstoring the media file according to the present invention; a memory(storage unit) for storing a program including instructions forperforming a preset media file processing by the media file reproducingapparatus and information needed for processing the media file; acommunication unit for performing a wire or wireless communication withthe media file reproducing apparatus; and a controller for transmittinga corresponding program to the communication unit in response to arequest from the media file reproducing apparatus, or automatically.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the virtual objectused in the augmented reality and information about an area on an imagein which a corresponding virtual object is displayed are stored inadvance within the media file, thereby effectively providing variousaugmented reality services. Also, a receiving apparatus may overcomelimitations regarding physical resources such as a battery and acomputation capacity required to obtain, in real time, information,which is needed for providing the augmented reality service, and varioustypes of media files that already exist may be recycled for theaugmented reality service.

By utilizing embodiments of the present invention, a logo of a companyrelated to an image being reproduced may be provided to the user tofurther maximize an advertisement effect. For example, a logo of acompany which manufactures an accessory worn by a leading actor may bedisplayed when a drama is reproduced and a logo of a company of a fullybuilt vehicle may be displayed in a case of a car racing relaybroadcast.

While the present invention has been shown and described with referenceto certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilledin the art that various changes in form and details may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention asdefined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of processing a media file for anaugmented reality service, comprising: analyzing at least one media fileincluding a marker track and a virtual object track to be used forproviding the augmented reality service; generating image data neededfor reproducing an image by extracting the image data from -the mediafile; generating virtual object data for displaying a virtual object byextracting virtual object information included in the media file; andsynthesizing the image data and the virtual object data based on themarker track and the virtual object track to structure a final image andreproducing the final image on a screen, wherein the marker trackcomprises a related track identifier (ID) indicating a video track to besynthesized with the virtual object and a next marker group identifierindicating a marker group to be used subsequently.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the marker track comprises a marker table (mtbl) whichstores a relative coordinate of an area in which the virtual object isdisplayed on the screen and additional information needed to express thevirtual object, and wherein the mtbl box defines a plurality of markerintervals on a time axis which is classified according to acharacteristic which varies as the virtual object moves.
 3. The methodof claim 2, wherein the mtbl box comprises at least one marker header(mkhd) box which includes a virtual marker information (vmki) boxindicating a reference virtual marker to be compared with a virtualmarker used in each marker interval, and at least one marker group(mgrp) box which stores information of marker intervals included in thesame marker group among the plurality of marker intervals.
 4. The methodof claim 3, wherein the mgrp box comprises at least one marker intervalinformation (mint) box representing each marker interval, and whereineach mint box comprises a related sample information (rsmp) box whichstores sample information used in a corresponding marker interval. 5.The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of marker intervals aregrouped into a plurality of marker groups including at least one markerinterval which uses the same virtual object.
 6. The method of claim 3,wherein the marker header box comprises: a marker group entry countindicating a number of the mgrp box included in a current track.
 7. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the marker track further comprises a HandlerReference (hdlr) box which stores a type of a current track, and whereinthe hdlr box is set to a value indicating one of a location track or thevirtual object track.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtualobject track comprises an object table (otbl) box for storinginformation about a virtual object to be displayed on the screen and forexpressing a virtual object used in each of a plurality of markerintervals on a time axis which is classified based on a characteristicvarying according to movement of the virtual object.
 9. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the otbl box comprises an object table header (othd)box, at least one mapping table (mtbl) box which provides mappinginformation of a virtual object used in marker intervals included in thesame group among the plurality of marker intervals and at least oneobject description (odes) box which expresses a type of an augmentedreality technology for expressing the virtual object.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the othd box comprises at least one of: a subsequentobject identifier (ID) representing a virtual object to be usedsubsequently; an object entry count representing a number of odes boxesincluded in the virtual object track; a service provider identifierrepresenting a service provider which provides the virtual object track;and additional description of the virtual object track.
 11. The methodof claim 9, wherein the mtbl box comprises a mapping entry countrepresenting the number of bits of mapping information and at least oneof the bits of mapping information, and wherein each of the bits ofmapping information comprises a marker group identifier defined by themarker track and an object identifier which indicates a virtual objectto be used in a marker interval identified as the marker groupidentifier.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the odes boxescomprises at least one of: an object identifier indicating acorresponding virtual object; a type indicating an augmented realitytechnology for expressing the virtual object; description of the virtualobject expressed by the augmented reality technology indicated by thetype; a conversion matrix used when calculating movement of the virtualobject in order to express the virtual object on a reference virtualmarker; and a scale matrix used when calculating an expansion orreduction of the virtual object in order to express the virtual objecton the reference virtual marker.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein theplurality of marker intervals are grouped into a plurality of markergroups including at least one marker interval which each uses the samevirtual object.
 14. An apparatus for processing a media file for anaugmented reality service, comprising: a processor adapted to: analyzeat least one media file including a marker track and a virtual objecttrack to be used for providing the augmented reality service, generateimage data needed for reproducing an image by extracting the image dataincluded in the media file, generate virtual object data for displayinga virtual object by extracting virtual object information included inthe media file, and synthesize the image data and the virtual objectdata based on the marker track and the virtual object track to structurea final image; and a display adapted to display the final image on ascreen, wherein the marker track comprises a related track identifier(ID) indicating a video track to be synthesized with the virtual objectand a next marker group identifier indicating a marker group to be usedsubsequently.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the marker trackcomprises a marker table (mtbl) which stores a relative coordinate of anarea in which the virtual object is displayed on the screen andadditional information needed to express the virtual object, and whereinthe mtbl box defines a plurality of marker intervals on a time axiswhich are classified according to a characteristic which varies as thevirtual object moves.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mtblbox comprises at least one marker header (mkhd) box which includes avirtual marker information (vmki) box indicating a reference virtualmarker to be compared with a virtual marker used in each markerinterval, and at least one marker group (mgrp) box which storesinformation of marker intervals included in the same marker group amongthe plurality of marker intervals.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the mgrp box comprises at least one marker interval information(mint) box representing each marker interval, and wherein each mint boxcomprises a related sample information (rsmp) box which stores sampleinformation used in a corresponding marker interval.
 18. The apparatusof claim 16, wherein the plurality of marker intervals are grouped intoa plurality of marker groups including at least one marker intervalwhich uses the same virtual object.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the marker header box comprises: a marker group entry countindicating a number of mgrp boxes included in a current track.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 15, wherein the marker track further comprises aHandler Reference (hdlr) box which stores a type of a current track, andwherein the hdlr box is set to a value indicating one of a locationtrack or the virtual object track.
 21. The apparatus of claim 14,wherein the virtual object track comprises an object table (otbl) boxfor storing information about a virtual object to be displayed on thescreen and for expressing a virtual object used in each of a pluralityof marker intervals on a time axis which is classified based on acharacteristic varying according to movement of the virtual object. 22.The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the otbl box comprises an objecttable header (othd) box, at least one mapping table (mtbl) box whichprovides mapping information of a virtual object used in markerintervals included in the same group among the plurality of markerintervals and at least one object description (odes) box which expressesa type of an augmented reality technology for expressing the virtualobject.
 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the othd box comprises atleast one of: a subsequent object identifier (ID) representing a virtualobject to be used subsequently; an object entry count representing anumber of the odes boxes included in the virtual object track; a serviceprovider identifier representing a service provider which provides thevirtual object track; and additional description of the virtual objecttrack.
 24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the mtbl box comprises amapping entry count representing the number of bits of mappinginformation and at least one of the bits of mapping information, andwherein each of the bits of mapping information comprises a marker groupidentifier defined by the marker track and an object identifier whichindicates a virtual object to be used in a marker interval identified asthe marker group identifier.
 25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein theodes box comprises at least one of: an object identifier indicating acorresponding virtual object; a type indicating an augmented realitytechnology for expressing the virtual object; description of the virtualobject expressed by the augmented reality technology indicated by thetype; a conversion matrix used when calculating movement of the virtualobject in order to express the virtual object on a reference virtualmarker; and a scale matrix used when calculating an expansion orreduction of the virtual object in order to express the virtual objecton the reference virtual marker.
 26. The apparatus of claim 22, whereinthe plurality of marker intervals are grouped into a plurality of markergroups including at least one marker interval which each uses the samevirtual object.